15 June 2010 – Bart International (European Business Aviation Magazine)

London Oxford Airport has started work on a brand new 4,440 sqm (47,787 sq ft) three-bay hangar in an investment worth £3 million.

The new three-bay facility will offer independent landside access, office space and car parking tailored to clients’ requirements. It will be the largest single facility built at the airport to date and when complete in December, it will have increased the total hangarage at the airport by 78% since 2005 to 240,500 sq ft (78,000 sqm).

Each of the three bays in the new Hangar No 14 measures 37 metres (depth) by 40 metres (width), enabling it to comfortably accommodate Global Express or Gulfstream 550 aircraft or typical ‘regional’ airliners such as the ATR72, BAE 146/Avro RJ Series and Q400. The new hangar will feature vertical lifting Megadoors measuring 32 metres by nine metres’ clear opening.

London Oxford Airport is currently home to five EASA 145 maintenance organisations (EBAS, PremiAir, Eurocopter, AirMed and Oxford Aviation Academy) and eight AOC charter operators. It also plays host to several hundred pilots, engineers and other professionals in the general and business aviation industry.

“This new facility will provide much needed space for both established business looking to expand and as an attractive and cost effective base for new tenants looking to relocate their aircraft,” said James Dillon-Godfray, Business Development Director.

Oxford Airport, with its enhanced fire and rescue capability – now at Cat 6 – continues to see a steady increase in the use of larger and newer business aviation types including the Gulfstream G550 and Falcon 7X, the latter operated by Netjets. Hangar 8, the airport’s largest operator, is now supporting nine Hawker aircraft, two Falcon 2000s and recently accepted the first Hawker 4000 into the UK. London Oxford Airport will also welcome Embraer’s new long range Legacy 650 later this year, the first in the UK to accept the aircraft.

“Our owners are determined to maximise their investment at this increasingly popular business aviation airport and with a clear and increasing demand for more hangarage facilities in the UK we are delighted to be moving ahead with these new developments,” added Steve Jones, Managing Director, London Oxford Airport.